This application claims the priority of German Patent Document No. 101 34 369.8, filed Jul. 14, 2001, the disclosure of which is expressly incorporated by reference herein.
The present invention relates to a cover device for a folding top compartment of a vehicle with a lowerable roof structure, in particular for a hardtop vehicle.
German Patent Document No. DE 44 46 483 C2 discloses such a cover device for a hardtop vehicle in which the roof structure has a front roof part and a rear window part connected thereto. The roof structure can be pivoted, by means of a positive control device supported on the bodywork, into the folding top compartment arranged behind a rear region in a back part of the vehicle bodywork. This folding top compartment can be closed with a folding top compartment lid, which can be folded up towards the rear. In the process, a free space, which can be closed by means of a cover unit, is formed between a front edge region of the closed folding top compartment lid and a rear edge region of the rear region. This cover unit has a front cover part, a central cover part and a rear cover part, as well as two lateral cover parts, these cover parts forming, in a closed position of the cover unit with the roof structure lowered, an essentially planar uninterrupted cover of the free space, which cover adjoins in a flush fashion the rear region and the closed folding top compartment lid.
In the known cover device, a folding device is provided with which the rear cover part and the central cover part can be moved into an approximately vertically positioned securing position in which their undersides bear against one another. In this folded position, the central cover part and the rear cover part adjoin a rear edge region of the front cover part. It is necessary to be able to fold the cover part in order to clear the adjustment path necessary for the pivoting of the roof structure. All the cover parts can also be adjusted together in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle in the manner of a carriage. It is necessary to be able to adjust in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle so that, when the roof structure is lowered, it is possible to cover a gap which is only formed when the roof structure is lowered directly in front of the front edge region of the folding top compartment lid and which is closed off by a lower edge region of the rear window part when the roof structure is closed. Accordingly, the cover unit of the known cover device has a front closed position which is assigned to the closed roof structure and in which the cover parts are displaced forwards and clear the gap for the roof structure, as well as a rear closed position which is assigned to the lowered roof structure and in which the cover parts which are displaced rearwards close the gap. Overall, the implementation of the different adjustment possibilities is relatively complex with the known cover device.
The present invention is concerned with the problem of specifying, for a cover device of the type mentioned at the beginning, an advantageous embodiment which has a relatively economical design.
The mounting of the rear cover part on the front cover part according to the present invention and the adjustment kinematics which are provided for the adjustment of the rear cover part simplify the measures provided for adjusting the cover parts, e.g., for an actuator drive. In particular, it is not necessary to adjust the individual cover parts in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle in order to clear or close up the gap for the roof structure between the rear region and the folding top compartment lid. This is achieved in that the dimensioning of the rear cover part is selected precisely in such a way that when the rear cover part is folded away the front cover part comes to bear essentially flush against the inside of the lower edge region of the closed roof structure in order to close off the free space.
In one advantageous development, the rear cover part can be mounted on the front cover part in such a way that it can be folded away onto the underside of the front cover part in order to take up its passive position. In this embodiment, when the roof structure is closed the rear cover part which is not required is located outside the interior of the vehicle, as a result of which, on the one hand, more interior space is made available in the vehicle in the region of the parcel shelf formed by the front cover part, and, on the other hand, the overall visual impression thus given has a higher aesthetic value.
In one preferred development, a lever arrangement can be attached to the front cover part in order to adjust the rear cover part, the lever arrangement converting the linear adjustments at the input end into pivoting adjustments of the rear cover part. Linear adjusting movements can be transmitted particularly easily from an external drive to the lever arrangement so that the drive which is necessary for the adjusting movement of the rear cover part can be accommodated with comparatively little expenditure outside the front cover part at a suitable location on the vehicle.
Further important features and advantages of the invention emerge from the claims, from the drawings and from the associated description of the figures with reference to the drawings.
It goes without saying that the features which are mentioned above and are still to be explained below can be used not only in the respectively specified combination but also in other combinations or in isolation without departing from the scope of the present invention.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the invention when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
One preferred exemplary embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the drawings and will be explained in more detail in the following description.